2 Kings 23 in the early church

[LXX: 4 Kingdoms; Vulgate: 4 Kings]

42 passages quote, allude to, or echo 2 Kings 23, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 4 · 5 · 12 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 18 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 25 · 29 · 30 · 31 · 32 · 33 · 34 · 36

2 Kings 23:1

Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:1–16On Not Sparing Those Who Sin against God 7 · Lucifer of Cagliariquotation, high confidenceca. 356–361

2 Kings 23:4

Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:4–15On the Witch of Endor 25 · Eustathius of Antiochallusion, medium confidenceca. 324–337
2 Kgs 23:4Long recension, Magnesians 3 · Anonymousallusion, medium confidencelater 4th century (probable)
2 Kgs 23:4–20Letter 185.19 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 386–430
2 Kgs 23:4–23Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 78–79 · Anonymousallusion, high confidence5th century (disputed)

2 Kings 23:5

Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:5Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 62.7.5 · Epiphanius of Salamisallusion, medium confidence374-377

2 Kings 23:12

He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD. The king pulverized them there and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:12Book of Rules 4 · Tyconiusallusion, high confidenceca. 380

2 Kings 23:14

He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:14Long recension, Maria 4 · Anonymousallusion, high confidencelater 4th century (probable)

2 Kings 23:15

He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:15On Prayer 6.5 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 233–234

2 Kings 23:16

And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:16Long recension, Maria 4 · Anonymousallusion, high confidencelater 4th century (probable)
2 Kgs 23:16–20On Not Sparing Those Who Sin against God 6 · Lucifer of Cagliariallusion, high confidenceca. 356–361
2 Kgs 23:16On Care for the Dead 9 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 421–422

2 Kings 23:18

“Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:18On Care for the Dead 9 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 421–422

2 Kings 23:22

No such Passover had been observed from the days of the judges who had governed Israel through all the days of the kings of Israel and Judah.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:22Miscellanies 1.21.120 · Clement of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 198–203
2 Kgs 23:22Homilies on Ezekiel 9.2 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 238–250 (Jerome's translation in the 380s)
2 Kgs 23:22Commentary on Matthew, Latin Series 120 · Origenallusion, medium confidenceca. 244–249 (Latin translation, 4th–5th century)
2 Kgs 23:22On the Duties of the Clergy 2.30 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 386–390

2 Kings 23:23

But in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:23On the Computation of Easter 9 · Anonymousallusion, high confidence243
2 Kgs 23:23On the Duties of the Clergy 2.30 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 386–390

2 Kings 23:24

Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:24On the Witch of Endor 25 · Eustathius of Antiochallusion, high confidenceca. 324–337

2 Kings 23:25

Neither before nor after Josiah was there any king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, according to all the Law of Moses.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:25Homilies on Ezekiel 9.2 · Origenallusion, medium confidenceca. 238–250 (Jerome's translation in the 380s)

2 Kings 23:29

During Josiah’s reign, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt marched up to help the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River. King Josiah went out to confront him, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:29Miscellanies 1.21.120 · Clement of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 198–203
2 Kgs 23:29Letter 21.35 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 370–419
2 Kgs 23:29Letter 68.1 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 370–419
2 Kgs 23:29Letter 108.8 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 370–419
2 Kgs 23:29Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 78–79 · Anonymousallusion, high confidence5th century (disputed)

2 Kings 23:30

From Megiddo his servants carried his body in a chariot, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in place of his father.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:30Commentary on Daniel 1.2 · Hippolytus of Romeallusion, high confidenceca. 202-204

2 Kings 23:31

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:31Miscellanies 1.21.121 · Clement of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 198–203
2 Kgs 23:31Preparation for the Gospel 10.14.7 · Eusebius of Caesareaallusion, high confidenceca. 313–324
2 Kgs 23:31–34Commentary on Jeremiah 4.37 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 414-419
2 Kgs 23:31–36Commentary on Jeremiah 5.5 · Jeromeallusion, medium confidenceca. 414-419
2 Kgs 23:31–25:7Part 2, chapter 33 · Quodvultdeus of Carthageallusion, high confidenceca. 445-450

2 Kings 23:32

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:32Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 78–79 · Anonymousallusion, medium confidence5th century (disputed)

2 Kings 23:33

And Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he could not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:33Miscellanies 1.21.121 · Clement of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 198–203
2 Kgs 23:33Commentary on Daniel 1.2 · Hippolytus of Romequotation, medium confidenceca. 202-204
2 Kgs 23:33–34Fragment 10 · Julius Africanusallusion, medium confidenceafter 221

2 Kings 23:34

Then Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, where he died.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:34Miscellanies 1.21.121 · Clement of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 198–203
2 Kgs 23:34Commentary on Daniel 1, scholion 2 · Polychronius of Apameaallusion, medium confidenceca. 400-430
2 Kgs 23:34Commentary on Jeremiah 5.44 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 414-419
2 Kgs 23:34The Conferences 5.12 · John Cassianallusion, medium confidenceca. 426–429

2 Kings 23:36

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
2 Kgs 23:36Preparation for the Gospel 10.14.7 · Eusebius of Caesareaallusion, high confidenceca. 313–324
2 Kgs 23:36Commentary on Daniel 1, scholion 3 · Polychronius of Apameaallusion, medium confidenceca. 400-430